Foodborne illness is a significant problem worldwide. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 6 Americans get sick by consuming contaminated foods or beverages. In a large part due to the use of antibiotics in nontherapeutic growth of food animals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria that contaminate food are an increasing concern.
Vibrios are Gram-negative bacteria that occur naturally in marine environments. Among various foodborne pathogens, Vibrios are recognized as a potential fish pathogen that are capable of spreading quickly when fish are in close contact to one another. Upon infection by Vibrios, the infected fish may display lethargy, loss of appetite, and/or have necrotic sores. To date, a common method for preventing a Vibrios infection and for treating fish infected by Vibrios is to provide antibiotics in the water.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Vibrio bacteria live in saltwater. As such, consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, can lead to vibriosis. It is documented that Vibrios are associated with uncooked shellfish and fish, which has had particularly significant consequences on foodborne illness. For example, several species of Vibrio, including Vibrio parahaemolyticus, are known to cause illness. Other potential human pathogens include V. vulnificus and V. cholera that can cause gastrointestinal illness. Symptoms consist of mild to moderate diarrhea, but can sometimes be severe, especially if the bacteria enter the bloodstream.
In view of the infection risks, safe shellfish preparation is necessary to avoid illness, especially among high risk people. High risk groups include people with weakened immune systems and people with chronic liver disease. Therefore, proper preparation, for example sterilization, of related food products that are sensitive to Vibrios infections is a desired development for control such bacteria mediated foodborne diseases.
Resistance to antimicrobial drugs is a natural phenomenon. As bacteria and other microbes are exposed to antibiotics, they will eventually develop resistance through random mutations and by acquiring resistance genes from other bacteria. Therefore, continually developing new drugs and judicious use of the available drugs is required.
Antibiotic resistance can arise through the overuse, or improper use, of antibiotics in both humans and animals. On the animal side, the concern centers on antibiotics provided to entire herds to either prevent disease or promote growth. In half of the countries in the world, including the United States and Canada, antibiotics are still used as growth promoters.
Resistance that arises in animals could affect humans in two ways. Food-borne pathogens could develop their resistance in animals before going on to infect people via the food supply. Or resistance genes could be transferred from animal bacteria to human pathogens through a process known as horizontal gene transfer, where genetic material is swapped between neighboring bacteria. In either scenario, food production safety and human health will be jeopardized by antibiotic resistant bacteria.
In order to contain effectively the foodborne, there are needs to develop novel effective alternatives to inhibit bacteria's growth and spread, hence prevent their potential harm to human health. This application provides one of such alternative.